The Cupid of Storybrooke
by IceTippedViolets
Summary: Regina briefly finds herself with another child to look after as if by magic. The Sheriff doesn't seem too pleased and neither does the person who cursed the Regina to never see her child again. A story of family and romance as the story-tale characters struggle to connect in life after the curse and all it brings with it. Warning, contains Emma/Regina and Ruby/OC


The soft light of the moon permeated through the curtains to illuminate the bedroom. A quiet groan came from under the covers as the person turned over. The light was keeping her awake, that and her thoughts. She had been running over and over again what happened and it still made no sense. After rolling over for the twelve time, Regina got out of bed to get some water, to try to alleviate her headache.

~Earlier that day~

Regina was stood outside the door that was home to her greatest enemy. Carrying a schoolbag, Henry's. Of course he would forget it and then phone her forcing her to come round at approximately dinner time. He had a bad habit of trying to force her out of the house recently to spend time out of her self-imposed isolation. She would be proud of him if his meddling was not so unwanted. The town needed not to see her for while, emotions were still running high from the aftermath of the curse breaking. The only thing worse about his efforts were that they mostly forced her to spend time with her. Regina had been trying to avoid the Sheriff and to a lesser extent Henry to as they pushed painful memories to the surface. True, the poisoning was her fault, but she wasn't ready to accept that or be forgiven for it any time soon. She sighed, 'Best get on with it.' She knocked.

"Mom! Just in time for dinner" A small figure answered excitedly from the door frame. He was still wary of her to a certain extent, having your own mother poison you and turn out to be the evil queen would make anyone nervous, but his love shone through. The past few weeks had been hard on him, with him being the son of the woman who had cursed everyone, but being the child of the Savior had helped stop most of the danger. She owed Emma for that. But it did not mean she wanted to see the woman.

"Henry dear, I am not staying."

"But you just got here."

"Yes, and now I am leaving. I am not eating anything Miss Swan made. It won't be edible."

"Emma didn't even cook it this time." He pleaded.

Regina gave Henry a blank stare. That meant Mary Margret had made it, the one person who Regina was trying to avoid even more than the Sheriff. She was currently out having a romantic evening with the other idiot, which was the only reason why Regina could bear being in the house.

"Don't go, _please_." Henry grabbed her arm pulling her closer.

"Henry I-I-" She looked down to see him pouting in a puppy dog way. She sighed, defeated, "I guess I could stay for a short time."

"I always lose to the pouts too." A chuckle came from across the room. Emma was stood at the counter organizing all manner of leftovers. She a simple tank top on, her signature red jacket had been thrown over a chair. Regina's voice steeled as she entered to survey the dinner choices.

"Henry, go take this to where ever you are sleeping." giving him the bag as he scampered off. "So what, pray tell, has your dear mother left for us?" Emma could practically see the acid dripping from her words.

"No need to get hostile, and please don't call her that."

"What?" Regina was washing her eyes over the foil wrapped food. It seemed that the barbecued chicken and a large portion a salad could be salvaged.

"Mother, she the same age as me for Christ's sake, it's weird." Emma visibly shivered.

"You are going to have to get used to it." Regina smiled picking up the chicken and checking its condition.

"If you say so step-grandma." There was a smash as the plate hit the floor, shards of ceramic and chicken pieces flew across the floor.

"Never call me that **EVER AGAIN**." A dark purple cloud had begun to form around Regina's fist. Emma's bemused expression was lost to shock.

"Mom, Emma, what's the matter? I heard a crash." Henry walked into the room as Regina hid her fist and put on a more civil expression.

"It seems we need to go shopping for dinner, dear."

~~~x~~~

The shopping trip had been filled with an awkward silence. Henry was still troubled by the time the returned to the loft, having only manage to piece together that they had had another argument. He wished they would get on better. Emma sat the shopping bags down on the counter and began to unpack them.

"No dear. I'll do that. And the cooking. Don't want you to contaminate the food." Regina motioned her to go. Emma sulked off to her room to put her coat away.

"Mom, why do you have to be mean to her. She just wants to help."

"Like she did with the last meal she made you?" Recalling a mild case of food poisoning from some under-cooked meat. He had been ill for a while after that.

"Like you did with the last meal you made me?" That was a low blow. Regina hadn't been allowed to have Henry over since the turnover and was only occasionally being allowed to pick him up from school when Emma was too busy to get him herself. It really had been the last time she had made something for someone else. Her eyes misted over as she bit back tears.

"I'm sorry Mom, I just, I don't like you fighting. Please let her help." Henry looked honestly sorry. She ran her hand through his hair.

"I'll let her help."She noticed the blond standing by the entrance and raised her voice to make her point, "Just as long as she stays away from the meat."

~~~x~~~

The meal went well and the conversation steered clear of any dangerous topics, mostly focused on Henry's schoolwork and his new favorite TV show. The time passed quickly and soon it was past Henry's bedtime. Despite the protests, he was taken off to bed, it was a school night after all. Then the two women were alone in the loft. The silence between them lasted a while, neither sure if she should leave until Emma spoke.

"Thanks for dinner."

"Well, I could hardly be responsible for relieving you of your meal and not replace it."

"Want some cider, Regina? Don't know why we have the stuff given how much Mary Margret hates apples, but I think we have the brand you like."

"She used to love apples, you know, until.." Regain drifted off darkly.

"You poisoned her with something she loves?" Emma was shocked at the revelation.

"It seemed apt. Poetic almost. But yes, I will have a glass."

The two sat down and shared the bottle and another. They needed it if they were honest. The past few weeks had been nothing but hard on them, Emma having to deal with the fallout of the curse and Regina having to deal with the whole town's hatred towards her. Well almost all the town, Emma and Henry still seemed to tolerate her. That was strange, she had always thought the Savior would rush to Snow's side and persecute her with all the rest, but she hadn't, Emma had even stood up for her. She was mulling the thoughts over as she stared into her cider.

"Why?" The question raised her from her pondering.

"Why what, dear?"

"Why did you do it, the curse? And don't tell me it was because of Mary Margret. I want to know the truth. Why you, Regina Mills felt like you could do nothing else but curse an entire realm to Maine."

Emma sat up staring into Regina's eyes. Regina swore she looked concerned, but remembered she was just using her 'superpower'. Trying to make sure the words were the truth. Regina took a moment to process the question. It wasn't pointed or angry, but in fact innocently curious. She wanted to understand why.

"I-I was tired and lonely." Emma waited for her to continue. "I didn't want to watch while the woman who made me so enjoyed her life. But mostly, I felt I didn't have a choice, I felt trapped."

Regina thought the drink was at fault for loosening her tongue. She felt comfortable, more than she had for years, a weight had been lifted. Emma shifted closer to the stricken woman. She took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Many people have better lives now than they ever would have in the Enchanted Forest."

"Oh, please. Name one." Regina rolled her eyes as if the notion was nonsense.

"You have more supporters than you realize."

"Emma-" She was cut off as lips pressed against hers. The kiss was gentle and short as Emma withdrew leaving Regina stiffened in surprise.

"I-I'm sorry. I think I've had too mu-" Regina interrupted in the only way that was fair, but this kiss was all but gentle. Regina's lips pushed roughly against the blonde's and she ran a hand through the golden locks to hold her steady. The push was reciprocated as Emma's hands came up to frame her face. Regina sucked on Emma's bottom lip to elicit a quiet moan parting her lips allowing her to deepen the kiss.

They separated, panting for breath. Emma smiled triumphantly and lunged forward to capture her lips again when a knocking at the door stopped her. Regina pushed her away accidentally forcing her off the sofa as she panicked.

"I can't be here. Not now" And with that a small purple cloud enveloped the former Mayor as she disappeared. Emma stood up saddened by her exit, and made her way to the door, more than a little angry at the interruption.

"What is it?" She took a step back when she found Mr Gold on the other side of the door.

"Is that anyway to greet a friend?" He grinned his cold smile.

"You are not my friend, Gold. What do you want?" Emma recovered.

"Not a friend, perhaps, but definitely someone who you owe a favour. I've come to collect."

"Right. Sure. Who's taken what this time?" Her sullen mood was very visible.

"It's you who I need to take me somewhere. New York to be precise."

"What? But the border-" Emma stared incredulously. Just last week they'd discovered no-one could leave Storybrooke without losing their memories too. Except Emma and Henry of course. And maybe Regina, she hadn't asked.

"Don't worry you pretty head about that, all you need to do is drive me there."

"You realize how far that is? This is stupid. I'm not doing it." Emma crossed her arms.

"No. You owe me a favor, dearie, and we are leaving now." Gold grabbed Emma and they disappeared from the doorway. Regina walked out from the bathroom.

"Well, this could not get any worse." She mused darkly.

Mary Margret and David walked through the open front door.

"R-Regina?!" Snow screeched.

"I was wrong."

~~~x~~~

Regina explained her presence and where Emma had gone to the Charmings. She failed to mention certain parts of the evening of course but she was still working out what it meant herself; though the thought of exactly how Snow would respond to her recent intimacy with her daughter made her smile. It seems the Charmings weren't satisfied until they woke up Henry to validate the story.

_~Back to the Present~_

Regina switched on the light in the bathroom and immediately regretted it. A wave of nausea washed over her and she relieved some of the night's dinner down the toilet.

'Emma somehow managed to contaminate the salad. The salad! That is the last time she helps.' She thought sourly after rinsing her mouth with water. She filled a glass and returned to bed.

'I hope this bug doesn't last long.' Setting the glass down, she climbed back into bed and finally fell asleep.

~~~x~~~

Waking up to the same light that had kept her awake, Regina groaned. She felt like she could throw up.

"Oh, Emma, I am definitely getting you back for this." She said groggily to the room. Getting up she may her way to the bathroom when she noticed a slight rise in her stomach. She ran her hand over it. She had to brace herself against the door frame. Movement, there was movement. She felt like she was going to throw up again. She ran into the bathroom.

There was no way she could be pregnant..


End file.
